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Choose from the following Children's Sermons:

Jail House Rock, Acts 16:16-34, by Rev. Frank Schaefer (see below)

Being There For Each Other, Ascension Day (see below)

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Jail House Rock
a children's sermon based on Acts 16:16-34
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

For the retelling of this remarkable story you may want to consider making a model of a jail cell out of a shoe box. Glue strips of cardboard in front of a window you cut out.  Cut out a door  that you can open and close .   A picture of a jail cell may also do.

Good morning boys and girls. Today I brought something for you--it's a model (or picture) of a dungeon, or jail cell.

Who can tell me what a dungeon cell is?  What is it used for?    Are there still jails/dungeons around today?  Do we have one in our town?   What kind of people do they lock up in jails/dungeons?

What kind of things can you find in jail cells?  What do you see in this model (window, door, walls, straw).  That's not a whole lot.  Not a lot of furniture in a dungeon cell.  It's a crummy place to be.  Especially when you're in shackles like Paul and Silas.

You know, sometimes people who sit in jail don't belong there.  Sometimes they didn't do anything bad.  That was true for Paul and Silas.   They didn't do anything bad.  They were Christians just like us. Good people. All they did was pray for a young girl and she got well.  And somehow, people thought they did something bad to her--but they didn't--and then they threw them in jail and they put their hands and feet in chains on top of that.

How would you feel, if you had done a good deed and they threw you into jail for it?  That's right we would feel lousy, sad, disappointed, confused, angry...   We would probably yell for the guard and shout: "let me out of here!"   and "I didn't do anything!"

But you know what?  Paul and Silas had a lot of faith.    They were very strong believers.  And because of that they knew something better to do.  They actually sang hymns and praise songs to God.  Can you believe that?  They were singing in the jail cell as if they weren't even there; like they were in church.

If I tell you what happened next, you will probably not even believe me.   God was so pleased with Paul and Silas' faith and their singing that He did something special for them.  God sent an earthquake and all the jail doors popped open.  Isn't that amazing?

God honored their faith, and you know what, God honors our faith too.    Next time when you feel bad, when you have a problem, instead of complaining and moaning and being angry, try praising God, singing a praise song.  I think you will be surprised what will happen if you do that.

Because as children of God we don't have to fear anything or anybody.    God is bigger than all of the problems in this world.  And God will take care of us.  So we may as well praise God already even before God helps us--because we know that he will. Now that is real faith in action, isn't it?  Let's pray:

"Dear God, we ask you to give us faith like Paul and Silas, so that when problems hit us, we will not despair but put our faith in you.  Help us to be able to praise you at all times even when things don't look so good, or when we feel badly.  Thank you for your promise to always take care of us.  We praise you, dear God.  Amen.

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Being There For Each Other
a kids talk for Ascension Day
by Rev. F. Schaefer

Greeting, my little friends. Today, I want to talk about being there for one another.  Because no matter what happens in life, we will always have friends, family, and the church, to be there for one another to help each other and encourage each other.

Today we celebrate Ascension Day--the day that the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven to be with God forever.  Can you imagine how sad the disciples must have been?

It can be really sad and hard when we lose someone we love--even when we know that they are going to be with God.  Does anyone here have a grandma or grandpa who went away to be with God?  Even though we know they are with God, it is still hard for us, isn't it?    We miss them.

And in times like this, we--the ones who are left behind--need to be there for each other. And a great way of showing that is by reaching out to someone and hug them.     Hugging is a great way of encouraging and caring for others when they are sad.   That's why you see a lot of people hugging at a funeral, or in the hospital, or in church.

Who of you is kind of sad this morning?  Who needs a hug?  (Give the child(ren) that raise(s) their hand a hug).  Now, how do you feel now?  A little better?

A hug says to a sad person: "I'm here for you."  And it also says:    "You're going to be alright."

And that's what Jesus said to the disciples too.  He said: "you're going to be fine, because I don't just leave you.  I will send you a helper, a comforter, someone who'll be there for you--the Holy Spirit." I am going to put the Holy Spirit in your hearts--into every believers heart. 

And if we stick together as Christians, we can help each other and encourage each other through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.  And a great way of being there for each other is by hugging each other.

Maybe we could all do that today; we could hug someone today and tell them that we are here for them, that we love them, can you do that for me and for Jesus?  O.K.

Prayer: "Dear God, we thank you that Jesus is with you and that so many of our loved ones are with you in heaven.  We also thank you that you have not left us by ourselves, but that you have given us your Spirit and each other.   Help us remember that we need to be there for one another.  Help us to show our love and support for each other. Amen."